4 Hidden Factors That Affect SEO Effectiveness

When the topic turns to search engine optimization, business owners tend to obsess over keyword density, inbound link scoring, and recent Google algorithm changes. But, while they are often concerned with the overall strength of their search visibility, many never pay much attention to the effectiveness of their SEO campaigns.

From our point of view, effectiveness really comes down to the bottom line results that are being generated. And really, isn’t that what should matter most?

If you agree, then it’s worth considering a few additional factors that can draw visitors to your website and convince them to either stay or leave. Let’s take a look at four details that often get overlooked when evaluating search engine optimization campaigns…

#1 Your Online Reputation

When a searcher comes to your website for the first time, they know nothing about your business beyond what they see listed on your pages. Is it any surprise, then, that they are likely to do a bit of research elsewhere?

Your online reputation—the reviews and feedback left about you and your company on the web—carries a lot of weight when potential customers are trying to determine whether to take the next step. Make sure yours is as impressive and reassuring as possible.

#2 The Navigation on Your Landing Pages

The old rule of thumb used to be that a landing page in your website should have a conversion option and no other navigational links. After all, you wanted people to make a purchase or enter their email, not click away (even if it was to another part of your website).

That assumption is being tested, as buyers are becoming more savvy and starting to investigate their choices more carefully. If you have ways to teach them more, or make them feel more comfortable about working with your business, then consider putting more links onto your landing pages and letting potential buyers look around before taking the next step.

#3 Retargeting Setup and Efficiency

Along the same lines, many marketers are finding that the bigger the buying decision is, the more likely searchers are to take their time before making any kind of commitment. Knowing that, you might have to give them a few different chances to see your offer before they’ll download an ebook, set an appointment, or take some other action.

The answer to this challenge is retargeting. Using tools from Google and Facebook, you can zero in on prospects who have already visited your website with targeted ads. With a few extra impressions, you just might be able to turn many of them into customers.

#4 Your Social Presence

In many ways, social media sites like Facebook and Twitter are now competing with search engines and email as a means of attracting customers and communicating with them. In fact, lots of buyers who find you on Google may interact with you on Facebook, and vice versa.

Knowing that, you should be attempting to capture as many of your search visitors as possible within your social networks. If nothing else, it gives you another avenue for cultivating them as leads.

Business owners and executives like looking at technical SEO details because they give clear signals and are relatively easy to understand. If you really want to turn visitors into buyers, though, you can’t overlook your reputation, the structure of your landing page, the size of your social presence, or your ability to give potential customers a second chance. Improving your profile in any one of these areas can lead to big changes in your incoming revenue, so why not make the most of them?

For more ways to increase your website’s SEO effectiveness, connect with our team of online marketing experts.